Author Topic: Rust Prevention Safe Dehumidifcation Someone Help! (Read 1708 times)

1longshot · « **on:** November 19, 2007, 08:37:16 PM »

All

Due to my current circumstances it will be necessary for me to store my guns in less than desirable conditions. Either in a garage with temperature ranges from -20 in the winter to over 100F in the summer. Or, in the house very close to where the swamp cooler blows in the summer and the pellet stove is located and burns in the winter. I have a safe with a vent for a goldenrod or some kind of heating rod. I am thinking about starting there. Also, I always use breakfree on my rifles/guns. My relative has a gun collection that I cleaned 5 years ago. They have not been touched since, and I don't know where in the house they have been stored before they had been put in the basement where they are now. The guns vary in degree of rusting. Anywhere from 10 to 95 percent on some. I know for a fact that the 22-250 I shot at that time did not have rust in the crown yet it does now. I am very alarmed and was wondering with the current affairs what could be done. I really don't have another choice.

Please help! Please name products, websites ect...

Thank you!

zasxcd · « **Reply #1 on:** November 19, 2007, 11:59:23 PM »

There may be more recent innovations, but when I went to 'Nam many years ago, I stored my guns in long plastic bags (sorry, I can't tell you where to get them) heat sealed after a liberal coating of gun oil. Came back and they were like new. Be advised that most penetrating or water displacing "oils" such as Break-Free and WD-40 evaporate after a few days, leaving guns TOTALLY without any rust protection. Use ONLY a good gun oil such as Remington. Yeah, sealing them in bags is awkward, but then so is rust. Also, the oil may not be the best for the stocks, but I don't know of anything better. Hope this helps.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #2 on:** November 20, 2007, 12:58:23 AM »

a roll of freezer bags for the food saver , cut them and seal any length you want .
second try clenize oil ( not spelled correct ) , comes in a black bottle much like break free .
it is made for metal and wood ! then also outers makes a grease for long term storage also !
If i were you i would seal all openings in the safe including the door . you may find a foam or rubber weather strip that can be used to seal safe door

Bill,SC · « **Reply #3 on:** November 20, 2007, 01:39:11 AM »

RIG for the gun. Damp Rid for the safe or closet. If done properly they are protected indefinitely.

james · « **Reply #4 on:** November 20, 2007, 02:19:14 AM »

I put a small bag of charcoal in the safe with my well oiled guns when they will be in storage for a long period of time. I never got around to installing a rod or light bulb in the safe.
So far, I have never had any rust problems.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #5 on:** November 20, 2007, 06:00:49 AM »

Here are a couple tests that will give an idea of the best rust prevention products for your firearms, Breakfree CLP is rated at the top of the bunch in both tests.

Tim

http://www.6mmbr.com/corrosiontest.html

http://www.thegunzone.com/rust.html

Dixie Dude · « **Reply #6 on:** November 21, 2007, 04:03:18 AM »

Before I bought my gun safe, I used Rig (cosmoline) and coated every metal part, reassembled, then stored them. The vacuum sealer is a great idea. We have one for food. Use the wide roll, oil, and vacuum seal. If you aren't going to shoot them during the off season, that is what I would do if you don't have a gun safe and a heating rod to place inside. That is also why I like stainless rifles.

Chilachuck · « **Reply #7 on:** November 21, 2007, 04:21:32 AM »

I've used car wax on my machete, and some people use it on their rifles. FWIW.

demented · « **Reply #8 on:** November 21, 2007, 04:27:45 PM »

I spray mine with silicone spray and use a Goldenrod electric dehumidifier. Humidity here can go as much as the high 90's, I've had no problems with rust. The good thing about silicone spray is that it doesn't seem to soak into wood. The Goldenrod also prevents mold and mildew, a very serious problem in high humidity areas.

Zachary · « **Reply #9 on:** November 22, 2007, 02:23:26 AM »

Keep in mind that the Goldenrod is really nothing more than a source of heat which slowly burns off moisture, so it's really nothing high tech.

Zachary

Chilachuck · « **Reply #10 on:** November 22, 2007, 07:01:49 AM »

A plain light bulb of the same wattage will do as well as a Goldenrod, if you don't mind the breakage risk. I'd think someone using either would need just a little ventilation or the heat and the trapped moisture would set up a mushroom farm.

Siskiyou · « **Reply #11 on:** November 22, 2007, 07:42:14 AM »

Deer season is gone and it is time to winterize a few rifles. Life always tosses a curve ball so I am not sure when I will next use a firearm. So I go for short team protection using Break free, and long-term protection.

Long-term protection consists of anti-corrosive boat trailer lube diluted with a minor amount of Break Free. I first pre-treat all areas with Break Free, I then treat the bore and all exposed areas with a thin coating of anti-corrosive lube and Break Free. My last step is to rap the barrel with a layer of wax paper. A warning hang red tag is placed on the trigger guard indicating the date, and that the bore must be cleaned of grease before firing.

Short-term storage is used for a firearm I plan on using for varmint hunting, sighting, and practice or to test chamber reloads in. These will be treated with Break Free or Rem-Oil.

Years ago we would buy small ½ pint cans of military grease and use it when our rifles would be stored for the winter. A ½ pint of that grease last for years, even if you clean it of a few time during the year and then replace it. Back in the old Three and One oil days we found that it offered only short-term protection. It worked as long as it was applied monthly.

bigjeepman · « **Reply #12 on:** November 22, 2007, 09:35:33 AM »

What do you guys do "if" you see a small amount of surface rust? I inherited a few firearms after my father passed away and noticed one of the .22 rifles having a small amount of rusting around the front sight.

bjm

quickdtoo · « **Reply #13 on:** November 22, 2007, 09:51:12 AM »

BJM, #0000 steel wool and gun oil.

Tim

bigjeepman · « **Reply #14 on:** November 22, 2007, 10:05:45 AM »

Thanks Tim ! I have never noticed any surface rust on any firearm I have ever owned until this week on the Win .22 . Even between Thanksgiving burps, you still find the time to help other members ... wow. Just as soon as I finish my "next meal", I don't think I'll even be able to help myself.

bjm

quickdtoo · « **Reply #15 on:** November 22, 2007, 10:41:19 AM »

Burp.... you betcha, I'll get some punkin pie in a bit, after I let dinner settle a little!!

Maybe run up and down the stairs a few times, checkin on the guns in the basement to make sure they aren't rusting away!!

Tim

1longshot · « **Reply #16 on:** November 23, 2007, 09:17:13 PM »

Okay guys lets not hijack this thread please...

Thanks all for your advice. I do have a plug at the top of my safe that would vent moisture. Nevada is relatively dry comparably speaking and I have decided to store my safe in the garage. Yesterday the thermometer read 11 degrees Fahrenheit. I think if I get the golden rod and keep it in the bottom of the safe It will displace any unwanted moisture. My father however pointed out condensation on the edge of his window where he has an air leak in his bedroom. I hope that condensation will not form on the interal mechanisms of my safe if using this heater in the cold winter months. Any comments?

Keep um coming!

Chilachuck · « **Reply #17 on:** November 23, 2007, 11:41:00 PM »

Does any part of Nevada have enough moisture in the air to cause rust?

Warm air can contain more moisture than cold air can, so warm air with the same amount of water in it per cubic foot has less relative humidity. That is the point of adding a Goldenrod, to heat the air just a little.

You need just a little bit of ventilation, not a lot. And I don't think you need any at all at 11F, not once the frosting has stopped. (Does anything metal in your garage have frost on it?)

Siskiyou · « **Reply #18 on:** November 24, 2007, 08:07:14 AM »

While most of the moisture falls on the Westside of the Sierra’s there is a very serious cloud seeding program to increase run-off for Nevada. It is not uncommon for flash flood to occur in the Sparks, Reno, and Carson City areas.

An educated guess puts the primary flow of moisture into Nevada along the I-80 corridor. The majority of the moisture is left on the Sierras. Big Pacific storms will penetrate into Utah, dumping snow on the Wasatch Mountains. It is not uncommon to see jackrabbits carrying canteens East of Fernley, NV. But as you travel eastward you will see large haying operations along the Humboldt Without a doubt the irrigation must produce some humidity.

When you see the Pineapple Express generating in the Hawaiian Islands and heading for California you will see some serious run-off on the Eastside of the Sierra’s. On the California side rainfall will be measured in inches a day, It will be raining at high elevations melting the Sierra snow pack.

Metal surfaces will need protection. Areas such as unheated garages and basements collect and hold moisture do to the lack of air circulation.

S.B. · « **Reply #19 on:** November 24, 2007, 04:08:52 PM »

Prior to rusting, I would use a good qualioty gun grease.

SuperstitionCoues · « **Reply #20 on:** November 24, 2007, 05:24:29 PM »

I like the new Ultra-lube from Gunslick, or the Collectors from the Breakfree people. Also, I put mine into a Gunsack while in a safe or a hard-sided case. I used this system in the hard plastic cases for two years and no rust yet. BTW and FWIW, about 15+ years ago, I found the RemOil to be really lacking in a humid California environment. My 870 rusted, and I haven't used it since.

trotterlg · « **Reply #21 on:** November 24, 2007, 06:05:51 PM »

You can stop rust three ways. Remove the moisture from the air, keep the moisture from contacting the metal and remove the oxygen from the air. Hard to do but totally effective is to remove all the oxygen from the air in the safe. Seal it up best you can, first get one of the pocket warmers that you just open up and it starts to heat, it does this by "rusting" material in the bag, in the process consuming all the oxygen. Open it up and put it in the safe, now seal the safe and nothing it in can ever rust until you let more oxygen in. Long term storage in a sealed container this is perfect, rust cannot happen without oxygen. Larry

The Gamemaster · « **Reply #22 on:** November 24, 2007, 06:26:17 PM »

You didn't fully explain your situation but I bet there is a woman involved.

Sometimes you have to decide if you are going to have a woman around the house or guns.

My advice is to give your old lady her walking papers and if you still need companionship - buy yourself a dog.

There is no excuse other than that for where you are storing your guns or how you are taking care of them.

My god, don't you have a relative or close friend that would be willing to store your guns for you?

The one solution is to store them with cosmoline or use LPS 3 spray -= which is for long term storage.

LPS 2 is for shot term storage - less than 6 months. Which in my mind - if you can't bring yourself to lubricating your guns once every couple of months - you shouldn't own any!

hillbill · « **Reply #23 on:** November 25, 2007, 01:54:40 PM »

for long term storage, any heaVY

hillbill · « **Reply #24 on:** November 25, 2007, 02:07:41 PM »

for long term storage, any heavy, non evaporating oil will work, i like 30 or 90 wt non detergent motor or gear oil. if a piece of iron is coated in such a oil, it will not rust. just keep it off the wood. also be sure to coat the inside of the barrel{bore} as it is more likely to gather rust than any other part of the gun.for true long term storage the barrelled action and stock should be stored separate but thats usually inconvenient.a good look at yur guns every month or so or less will usually avoid any future surprises.

S.B. · « **Reply #25 on:** November 25, 2007, 02:31:45 PM »

Oil is for lubrication, grease is a rust preventative.

1longshot · « **Reply #26 on:** November 25, 2007, 09:24:35 PM »

Yeah guys,

A woman is involved LOL! Also my brand new daughter. We are kind of strapped right now so we are enlisting help from relatives. I will be able to oil my guns every couple of months at least. I am sorry if it sounded like I was not going to be able to get to them for years. I did not mean that. But if it were to ever come to that, heaven forbid, I would definitely use some grease! Anyway, as I said before, I will be able to put a coat of oil on my guns at least every two months but, possibly monthly. I guess I will just have to see if using Break free CLP monthly prevents rust. Also, I think I might use the collectors CLP someone referred to in an early reply. "I bet there is a women involved!" LOL..... Still laughing... Yes its true!